


Bump in the Night

by TheGrammarHawk



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exhaustion, Fever, Forehead Touching, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kissing, Late Night Conversations, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Male My Unit | Reflet | Robin, Men Crying, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 11:43:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18940225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGrammarHawk/pseuds/TheGrammarHawk
Summary: Grima has risen, so the Shepherds must make their way to Mount Prism and seek Naga's guidance before it's too late. On a dark and stormy night, Chrom begins to understand why Robin's been distant when the mage himself falls apart in his tent.COULD be read as platonic but romance is strongly implied.





	Bump in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> i was talking about forehead touching... and i can't have nice things...

It was to a startling crashing sound that Chrom found himself stirring in his bedroll. In an instant, he was alert, shooting up to sit while immediately grabbing Falchion from where it rested next to him. What was the cause was the most important thing to figure out, at the moment. There had been plenty of Risen ambushes as of late as they traveled to Naga's holy grounds, praying that there would be an answer to their problem of Grima's return. The idea that a Risen had gotten so far as his tent, however, was unusual - the day had been grim and dreary, clouds overhead in the morning leading to a low rumbling storm by afternoon. Thick, heavy raindrops had instantly dampened whatever remaining spirits the Shepherds had, but there was no way that they could postpone their march just for weather’s sake. If horses could ride, wyverns could fly, and people could walk without danger, they would do so. Given it was just a heavy rain without any lightning, they continued forth.

It was uncomfortable. Clothes and sacks were swiftly soaked through, perishable rations were scarfed down before they would be prone to rot, and poor Nowi and Nah had eventually gotten so close to hypothermia that they’d needed to stop for the night and make shelter and fires, where they could. It had taken Robin’s _Arcfire_ to light _anything_ in the area, and that was saying something indeed. The tactician had been dreadfully quiet during the march so far, only speaking when opting to do night watch or tend to the animals. He hadn’t even had time to spend with Chrom, and that was worrying for a number of reasons.

Chrom would have given anything to know what was on his best friend’s mind. It appeared that now was the time to find out.

Deep blue eyes traced the still open flap of the tent, seeing nothing but darkness and rain outside, no enemies, no cause of what could have woken him. No, that question was answered clearly by the shaking pile of mage on the floor.

Falchion discarded, Chrom rushed to close the entrance to stop more rain from getting in. Next, he turned to his companion, who seemed to be doing his best to scare the _shit_ out of him.

Careful, Chrom approached the other man, crouching down to where he was sprawled on his hands and knees. If he noticed him, Robin gave no show of it, leaving a newly awake Chrom to stare and wonder what in the _world_ was going on.

Robin was _soaking_ wet and, even odder, in nothing but his tank and slacks, no cloak in sight. His skin, usually dark and warm to touch with the Plegian blood that flowed through him, was ashen in quality and ice to the touch. His eyes were blank, and from the way his breaths came far too fast to be healthy, it became clear to Chrom that Robin wasn’t all there. A glance back showed that it was likely his partner had collapsed after stumbling over the boots Chrom had previously paid no mind to throwing off.

Slowly, Chrom came to rest a hand on Robin’s shoulder. Almost on instinct, Robin reacted by grabbing back, one cold hand gripping Chrom’s while his other was left as the only thing keeping him up. The look he gave Chrom was unnerving, honeyed eyes wild and scared, almost as though he was a cornered animal.

A beat passed before the exalt tentatively slid his hand along Robin’s rained upon shoulder blades, moving to wrap his arm solidly around his shoulders. The first bit of movement only seemed to cause more distress to shine in those eyes, threatening to tear Chrom’s heart in two.

“Robin… It’s alright, it’s just me.”

At last, the mention of his name seemed to register in Robin’s mind. A slow blink and the tiniest of nods given, Chrom gave a small smile in return, faltering only slightly when Robin’s breathing only quickened _further_. Without thought, Chrom pulled Robin up to him, tucking the mage’s head to his shoulder and near burying his face in the dripping white hair.

“Come on, now match your breathing with mine. I know how smart you are, so do that for me, alright?”

Sometimes it astounded other Shepherds how much blind faith Chrom had in Robin, but truly, it was Chrom that was always amazed by how much Robin had in _him_. Almost immediately, he felt Robin’s nose snuffle against his neck, the breaths leaving his lips coming more regularly than before. Not willing to waste this moment of improvement, Chrom grabbed the nearest article of clothing that had been thrown to the floor, his cape, and pulled it over so that he could run it across Robin’s hair and neck before ultimately keeping it close, _anything_ that could possibly warm him up.

It took several minutes, not that Chrom was entirely aware at time’s passage at this point, but eventually Robin seemed to have calmed down enough to be fully aware of – and exhausted by – the situation.

“Alright, there we go. Are you going to be willing to talk to me about what just happened? Don’t even think about apologizing for waking me up or the like.”

The reply was granted at a glacial pace, but granted it certainly was. “Was… was going to, to be on watch but… but Frederick, he wouldn’t… said I’d done it too many times in a row… Naga, I swear, I tried to sleep, I did, I’m so… so _tired_ , but the moment rest claimed me…”

The words dwindled into the night, replaced by the soothing sound of rain. Chrom didn’t push him, no, he waited, almost afraid that if he spoke he’d spook Robin like before.

Besides, the picture was pretty clear as it was.

“I’m so scared of what my mind may bring to me, Chrom, I’m so afraid I can’t bear it.”

Robin’s voice was so uncharacteristically small, a soft whimper putting the nail in the coffin. Chrom understood, of course he did. Giving a gentle squeeze, he nodded his head.

“You’re not alone in this, Robin. Now come… take this damp undershirt off, and your breeches, gods, you’re cold to the bone. You’ll catch your death if you’re not careful.”

At that, Chrom slowly helped the both of them to rise, letting go of the other only to head to his trunk and pull out a dry shirt. When he turned back, he was satisfied to see that Robin’s smallclothes looked far drier than the pants had. With care, he pulled his own tunic over Robin’s head, tenderly gripping his forearm and leading him to the single bedroll.

“You’re not going out there again tonight, if nothing else. Please, just… let me try to help you how I can.”

Ordinarily, Chrom was certain that Robin would have balked and refused such a compromising and intimate suggestion, especially considering how taboo he had felt his existence to be ever since Validar’s death. While nothing had ever stopped them from being as close as possible before learning Robin’s true lineage, as soon as that subject was revealed Robin had been… distant. Quieter. Far less sure of himself. It had broken Chrom’s heart from the beginning.

So to see Robin shakily lower himself to the meager blanket and pillow nearly managed to sew it back together.

Sliding in beside him, Chrom was sure to drape an arm over Robin’s shoulder, not daring to drop it to his waist like he had before, in the past. Yet, he found his mind stuttering to a halt as lithe fingers gripped his shirt, Robin not meeting his eyes.

Chrom had already been careful to dry off all the rain from Robin’s hair and face, leaving only one option for the moisture gathering under his eyes. Daring, he laced the fingers that were not already thumbing across Robin’s shoulder through Robin’s own, and felt himself rewarded by a tiny squeeze back. Once again, he waited.

Robin spoke.

“Lucina believes my death could be key to ending this fight.”

“Lucina knows a lot of things, Robin, but don’t let that cause undue anxiety. We’ve no reason to worry for that.”

“I believe her, Chrom. I don’t… I don’t want to die, but I… I agree. Maybe, if I…”

Wincing, Chrom closed his eyes, unable to stop his grimace.

“I don’t want you to die either. I’m tired of the very notion of death, Robin.”

“But… you know that I will do anything I must to… to stop this. To make permanent a better future.”

Chrom’s lips drifted too close to their intertwined fingers, nearly kissing them before holding himself back.

“I know you will, Robin, but you need to understand, even if it is for all the world, I’d rather do _anything_ than see the life leave your eyes–”

He couldn’t finish his thought, no matter how desperate. It simply wasn’t possible: Robin’s lips were against his own.

The kiss was brief, and Robin’s lips were still cold, but as it was as short as it was sweet, as it was soft. When Robin finally spoke again, his voice was softer, and despite the pain of his tone, he shook less.

“Chrom, you know that if I must die, I will. I will. One life is not worth the lives of all in the future, Chrom. If it comes to that…”

Heart stuck in his throat, Chrom tried to swallow the emotion that swelled in his chest. His voice broke on delivery.

“I know. I can’t stop you. You’ll… die for the cause. For the future.”

“If it comes to that.”

“…If it comes to that.”

Giving the only tiny smile that had graced his face all night, Robin seemed to relax, eyes tiredly dropping shut.

Chrom was decidedly not relaxed. Even as Robin appeared to almost go right to sleep in his arms, Chrom could not relax. It was painfully obvious that the reason Robin was so exhausted to the point of working himself was because he refused to give himself the chance to rest. That certainly explained his determination to keep watch _every_ night, impractical as it was. At this rate he’d run himself so ragged that he’d fall ill before they got to the mount.

But Chrom had him now, safe and tucked in snugly. With a sigh, Chrom shifted forward, brushing Robin’s nose with his own as he pressed their foreheads together, staring at the closed eyelids.

He loved this man. Even if he was so full of doubts for himself, he loved this man. He always would, faults and all, no matter how foolish he was. And he had come back to his side, quite literally, when he felt trapped in a whirlwind of panic and despair. For once, for _once_ , Chrom could help him, could quiet the mind that honestly kept them all afloat.

Robin’s breath was warm on his mouth and Chrom had to resist kissing him again, even more so when he felt Robin press back ever so slightly.

Even if he was fated to die, he loved this man. He had no regrets about that.

(Perhaps, in the morning, when he’d wake to find Robin’s forehead blistering in heat against his own, he _would_ regret not harassing Lissa about something that could ease the backlash of Robin’s neglect any sooner, but it was not yet time to face the new day.)

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! please leave kudos and comments! <3


End file.
